The Wagley GroupFebruary, 2025 – Faithful Living® ~
Preparing properly to leave this world is the best way to ensure that surviving heirs will be receive their inheritance according to your wishes. Having these details and instructions written prior to death can alleviate confusion and misappropriation of resources within your specific desires. Securing qualified professionals to draft the appropriate documentation and possibly to administer the directives described therein are crucial in honoring the life that you lived and provide for your loved ones.
As a funeral director many years ago, I can from experience assure you, that some decedents prepared well and others did not.
It’s one thing to define the who, what, where, when, why and how much, in the division of assets when you die, but equally important is to consider what the impact of your legacy will be of all the non-material possessions that you leave behind.
Immediately what comes to mind is the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ recorded in the New Testament Book of Galatians and a verse in the Old Testament Book of Micah. Money can’t buy these but their importance is of immense value. Some may even say priceless.
“But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.”
“Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.” Galatians 5:22-24 MSG
“But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what GOD is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.” Micah 6:8 MSG
I know all of us are a ‘work in progress’ but have we made a commitment to display a basic level of holiness that overflows in our relationships with others? Is the conduct of our lives demonstrating to family and friends the intrinsic qualities of abundant living? This is the ‘fruit’ that Christ extends to us without price: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
If these perpetual godly gifts given by Jesus, have been lived out in our ancestors, and by association are now extended to us, may we strive intentionally to immolate these blessings to the younger generations that follow. Can any of us begin to calculate these inherent values?
Providing for living survivors is intuitive after we die but what will be our inheritance that proceeds beyond our lives on earth?
I listened to a brief reel from a sermon by Rev. Alastair Begg who is the Senior Pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, OH. He didn’t mince any words when he exclaimed, “The biggest mistake people make is they do not plan to meet God.”
All the earthly planning with our estates whether big or small, pales in comparison to a simple but immensely profound decision we make prior to our individual deaths. Will you become a forever member of the Redeemed Saints Club or will you choose to be eternally banished and condemned by being separated from God and our Lord Christ?
The Bible states, “Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands”. Ecclesiastes 5:15.
We can’t take one penny with us but we can decide to enjoy true riches and glory right now and later, fully experience paradise in the world to come with the Creator of all things.
Getting your questions answered while you can, so as not to suffer lasting consequences later is prudent and wise.
If people focus lifelong attention by acquiring and building wealth, but in the end fail to consider and make plans for their eternal destiny, because they thought they were ‘good enough,’ and therefore deserve their rightful place by earning Heaven—unequivocally beyond tragic!
No amount of money or ‘goodness’ can acquire eternal life. This is what countless numbers of people struggle with. The free gift of salvation is exactly that, free. Deciding with your whole heart by speaking the biblical truth of believing the resurrected work of Jesus; acknowledging the entirely of your sins and asking to be forever released from this bondage—is all that is needed to receive the ticket to Heaven through the bodily implantation of the Holy Spirit.
May all of us try to leave material legacies behind, but even more importantly, may we consistently bestow these immeasurable examples of God’s imperishable ‘fruit’ to a world that one day, we will permanently kiss goodbye.